Bittersweet Symphony
by thehappypursuit-182
Summary: Because from where I'm sitting, the popcorn's tasting pretty damn good. //TxCxD
1. The Song That Goes Like This

Yes, yes, I couldn't resist.

Disclaimer: I do not own either TDI or The Verve's song, _Bittersweet Symphony._

_Bittersweet Symphony _is the most beautiful, tragic and sorrowful song I have ever heard. I recommend you listen to it, you may just recognize it.

**

* * *

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**Bittersweet Symphony**

**Bit-ter-sweet/adj./def. Both painful and pleasant or regretful/ex. _In the end, all that was left was a bittersweet memory._**

**Sym-pho-ny/noun/def. Music, or anything characterized by a harmonious combination of elements/ex. _And it all blends together, this symphony we call life._**

* * *

"Trent Pierce?"

He motions to the teacher with a flick of his hand. "Here."

The teacher nods and checks his name off, scrolling to the next name. "Courtney Ryerson?"

Trent tenses because, seriously, how long has it been since he's heard that name? You see, him and Courtney Ryerson? Yeah, they used to be friends.

(Friends in a spent every summer chasing the ice tream truck, riding bikes to Corleone's for Pizza, shooting spitballs at Harold Sikorsky, beach sitting, you brought flowers to my Mom's funeral kinda way.)

"Dude, what's your fucking problem?" Duncan hisses, lightly punching him in the shoulder.

Trent glares. "What's my fucking problem? That girl used to be my friend, for god's sake!"

"Yeah, so you tell me." Duncan says, rolling his eyes. "Do you have to be a total girl about it though? I mean, seriously, it's getting all One Tree Hill in here."

"One Tree Hill is nothing like that... not that I would know, or anything." Trent mumbles. "It's just... weird, you know? She was my best friend through elementary school-"

Duncan smirks, cutting Trent off. (Trent recognizes that smirk, it's the "Duncan going to be a total douche now" smirk.) "Then better things came along, namely _me_." (Score one for Trent.) "Besides that girl's totally crazy. I mean, I'd bang her, but you do _not_ attach yourself to that kind of crazy."

Trent glances over Courtney, sweet, innocent, fun, _his_ Courtney, and tries to imagine her like all those other girls Duncan's corrupted. "Just stay away from her, man."

"Is that a challenge?" Duncan smirks.

"No!" Trent exclaims, seething. "It's a Stay The Hell Away From Her!"

Duncan rolls his eyes. "So you want her then."

"No, but-"

"So she's fair game?" Duncan says.

Trent sighs. "Yes, but _not to you_."

"Whatever. I'll have her by the end of the week." Duncan says confidently, leaning back in his chair.

Trent frowns. "It's not going to be as easy as you think." He warns. "Courtney's actually got _standards_."

"Are you saying that I don't?" Duncan sighs, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Trent seethes.

Duncan frowns. "Are you actually fighting with me over some chick you haven't talked to in two years?"

"Just. Drop it. Okay?" Trent says, watching as Courtney walks out of the room after being excused.

Duncan's watching her too. "Besides, dude, you've got Heather. She may be a bitch, but she's _hot._"

"Just, whatever. Okay?" Trent gets out.

"I'm going to get her." Duncan says, shrugging. Then he smirks, something Trent's a little scared of. "Care to make this interesting?"

Trent sighs. "No."

"If I win," Duncan continues, "You relinquish your girlfriend for one night. You're such a prude, she'll be grateful for a little action."

Trent glares. "And if I win?"

"I back off from your precious Courtney." Duncan says, crossing his arms behind his head. "I let you have her."

Trent frowns. "I don't want her."

"Dude, you're more excited over this than you are when I flirt with Heather."

"That doesn't mean I want her." Trent mumbles. "I'm just looking out for her."

Duncan shrugs. "To-may-to, to-mah-to dude. So do we have a deal?"

They both watch as Courtney comes through the door quietly. For a second, Trent meets her eyes and remembers everything.

(Everything. When Trent fell climbing the tree in her backyard and broke his ankle, and he taught her how to use his crutches. When they made a baking soda and vinegar volcano that was a little too big. Her dog Wednesday, who was born on a Friday. Her Mom's chocolate chip cookies. They day her dad left. The year they set up the trampoline. Her older brother that he so desperately wished was his own. His mother's funeral.)

She looks away, and against his better judgement- "Deal."

* * *

"-and then I ran away with the mermaid people! Yeah, it was pretty fantabulous." Izzy frowned. "Uh, Trent? Is your eye supposed to be twitching like that?"

Trent gaped. "Izzy, you just told me a totally raunchy dream about you and a fish-"

"-a goldfish." Izzy interjected. Yeah, because that made it all better.

"Okay, so you told me a raunchy dream about a goldfish-"

Izzy smirked. "My childhood goldfish."

Trent shuddered. "Do you know how many years of therapy I'm going to _need_ for this?"

Izzy shrugged. "Totally not my fault. I told you, at the beginning... if you feel uncomfortable just yell fishcakes."

"You didn't tell me that!" Trent exclaimed.

Izzy frowns. "I didn't? Hmm... yeah, I guess I didn't."

"Besides," Trent says, "I'm not going to yell fishcakes, in the middle of Chem class, when Rodriguez is mixing chemicals!"

"Why not?" Izzy asks, eyes brightening. "That would be epic!"

Trent sighs. "Why do I sit next to you again?"

"Because," Izzy starts, ignoring the fact that the question was rhetorical, "when A-Rod over there," she gestures to the Chem teacher, "asked who you wanted to sit beside, me or Courtney, you clammed up and did this funny thing with your mouth where you opened and closed it over and over and over and over for like, five minutes. Then A-Rod got annoyed, thought you were retarded, and sent you to the back of the room beside me." She pauses to take a breath. "Oh yeah, and that Courtney girl looked kinda offended when you went all Dazed and Confused."

Trent sighs. "Damn, she did?"

Izzy nods. "Uh, uh. I said it, so it must be true. If my name ain't Samuel Pinkett Blue."

"Wha-? Nevermind." Trent said, shaking his head. "I don't want to know."

Izzy rolls her eyes, glancing between Trent and Courtney. "So, what's going between you two?"

"Nothing, it's just-" Trent starts, trailing off.

"C'mon," Izzy says, "you can tell me."

So Trent tells her everything. The Deal, his and Courtney's used-to-be friendship, everything. "Wow." Izzy whistles.

"Yeah." Trent says. "It's complicated."

Izzy smiles. "I'd be happy to help if you need it."

"Really?" Trent asks, surprised.

Izzy shrugs. "Aren't we all looking for our goldfish?"

And then the oh so painful memory of what Izzy told him five minutes ago floods back at him. "Izzy! That is so gross!"

"Hey," Izzy says, leaning back in her chair, "I'm a lover, not fighter."

* * *

"I'm a lover, not a fighter." Trent says, crossing his arms, and leaning against the lockers.

"Dude!" Duncan exclaims, jumping back from his locker. "What the-? Where did you even come from?"

Trent shrugs. "Chem class. Not important. Point is, I'm a lover, not a fighter."

"Not a real one." Duncan says, smirking. "You prude, you."

Trent rolls his eyes. "What I'm trying to say is," he continues, "is that I don't want to fight with you over Courtney. If I have to, though, I'm ready for it. She used to be my friend, and I love her." Trent pauses. "In a friendly sort of way."

Duncan smirks, something he does a lot. "But don't you have to be a fighter, to be a lover? You _fight_ for the girl, that Roma guy _fought_ for that Jillian chick-"

"-Romeo and Juliet."

"Same diff." Duncan says, shrugging. "Of course, the two guys and the girl all died, but... whatever. It's supposed to be all sweet and junk."

Trent stares at Duncan. "You do realise that Romeo and Juliet were fictional characters, right?"

"Whatever. Fictional or not, that Shakespeare dude got really rich off of it. Dude, they're making us read it _four hundred years later_." Duncan says, angrily stuffing the offending book in his locker.

Trent shrugs. "Would you rather they make us read Twilight?"

"At least there are vampires in that one." Duncan says, pulling his cigarettes out of his locker. "Want one?"

Trent rolls his eyes. "They're vegetarian vampires, apparently. And no."

"Well screw that shit." Duncan mutters, angrily. "Stupid vegetarian vampires. Well, I'm going for a smoke. You coming?"

"No." Trent says, screwing up his nose. "But before you go, I have new terms."

Duncan groans. "What terms can there be? I have to jump the girl's bones in a week, how hard can that be?"

"That's where the new terms come in play." Trent says. "You have to go on _six_ dates with her, whenever you want." Duncan groans. "And, here's the kicker, you can't have sex with her."

Duncan gapes. "What?"

"I don't care if you fuck someone on the side," Trent says, shrugging, "just not Courtney."

Duncan glares, but shrugs. "Fine. New terms. You're not allowed to to warn or tell Courtney about any of this. She asks you at any point if we're playing her, and you have to deny it."

Trent pauses. "Fine. But I shouldn't need to warn her, right?"

"Right." Duncan agrees. "Now, I'm actually going for my smoke. Don't bother me again, and dude? Stop treating Courtney like your girlfriend."

"I'm not." Trent says, frowning.

"Good." Duncan replies, bringing his cigarette to his lips. "'Cause your actual girlfriend is coming this way." He walks away, lighter and ciggs in hand.

Trent turns around, and sure enough, Heather is walking towards him. "What did Duncan want?" She sneers.

"Nothing." Trent says, shrugging. "Just asking about English."

Heather frowns. "Did you hear the news?"

"What news?" Trent asks, frowning. He'd been so caught up with the bet and-

"That Courtney Ryerson girl tried out for the cheer team. And made it. I don't know what Lindsay was thinking. It's her duty as Captain to make sure only Pops make it on the squad." Heather sneers again.

"Really?" Trent said. "Lindsay must have liked her."

Heather glares at him. "Lindsay likes everybody. That's her problem."

Trent's grinning though, because Courtney+Cheer Squad= Popularity. Add in Courtney's already good looks to the pot, and she'll have guys hanging all over her. Which mean Duncan's not to going to have an easy time as he thought.

"Maybe it's a good thing." Trent says.

Heather scoffs. "Trust me, nothing good will come of this."

* * *

So, what'd you think?

-Pursuit


	2. No Place Like London!

_______Bonjour! Comme ca va!_

Great, now that I've gotten my French homework out of the way, behold! The second _(deuxieme)_ chapter!

Disclaimer: I own neither TDI, nor Sweeney Todd, from which this chapter's song selection comes from.

* * *

____________

_I have sailed the world_  
_beheld its wonders_  
_From the Dardanelles to the _  
_Mountains of Peru,_  
_But there's No Place Like London!_

**No there's No Place Like London!**

_Mr. Todd?_

**You are young,**  
**Life has been kind to you,**  
**You will learn!**

_[Instrumental]_

Trent sighed, and resumed jogging down his street. Sure, it was about to fucking pour, but he had to keep up his studly appearance, right?

(Insert Duncan laughter.... here.) Or what would have been Duncan laughter, if Duncan was here, but Duncan didn't jog because, A) "Jogging's for fuckers who are too weak to go to the gym.", B) "Look, at me. I'm a fucking stud, and I don't jog." and C) "You got to be shitting me! You do that pansy-assed stuff? Oh, this is _rich_."

Case and point, Duncan wasn't a very good jogging partner, much less friend. Besides, if Trent's learned anything, it's that when you're jogging, _really_ jogging and the wind rushes _through_ you and you can't see anything but _ahead_, you're not really in the mood for talking. You just don't have the lungs or mental capability at the moment. (And besides, Duncan's just jealous he can't jog because of his Smoker's Lungs.)

Which brings Trent to his next point, Smoking kills. Yeah, yeah, he's pretty sure everyone has heard the lame Government propaganda stuff they put on air. Stuff about how it gives you throat cancer and yellow teeth and how smoking is a real danger, and then they be hypocrites by getting actors to portray the "real" dead and dying. He means smoking kills all your athletic ability and talent, and hell, haven't we all heard Stevie Nick's smoker voice? She used to kill as a singer, now she kills healthy cells.

Hey, Trent never said he was particularly witty.

So when he passes smokers when he's jogging he can't help but feel disgusted by all the haze. He just wants to yell, "Hey! Ass-wipes! You're killing yourselves! Somewhere, out there, is someone who would pay to be you, and you're just going to throw it all away?"

Trent shakes his head. Jogging's not about the haze, or getting angry, or thinking about how your best friend is annoying the hell out of you. You're supposed to be clearing your head, not cramming it with a whole bunch of-

And then the wall of smoke hits him again and he feels a round of coughs coming on. He shoves it down his throat, because smokers will either laugh at you if you cough or ask you "You think you're the funniest damn thing, huh?" They, of course don't seem to notice that their addictions are slowly killing your lungs. Maybe they don't care.

Hey, we all need our fix.

_But of what?_

It takes Trent a minute for his eyes to stop watering. After that he realizes where he is, at Lakewood hospital. He no longer wonders at the irony at people smoking at the hospital doors, even though more than half are doctors. He just turns up his iPod and drowns out the sirens. He hates that noise. The roar of the Body Snatchers, who snatched up his mom's body so someone else could use it. At least, that was his sister Chloe's explanation of now Organ Donation worked. Of course, Chloe is only six, and Trent is sixteen, but he couldn't help but think that maybe Clo was right. His mother was recycled into a new human being. He wondered if they appreciated it.

He wondered if they appreciated that his mother had to die to save their lives. He hopes they feel satisfied knowing their prayers have been answered, perhaps by killing off his mom.

He wonders if the hunk of muscle tissue that used to be his mother's organs can fill up the great black pit inside them.

**There's a hole in the world**  
**Like a great black pit and**  
**the vermin of the world inhabit it**  
**and it's morals aren't worth**  
**what a pig could spit**  
**and it goes by the name of London.**  
**At the top of the hole**  
**sit a privileged few**  
**making mock of the **  
**vermin in the lower zoo,**  
**turning beauty into **  
**filth and greed....**  
**I too have sailed the world**  
**and seen its wonders!**  
**For the cruelty of men**  
**is as wondrous as Peru.**  
**But there's No Place Like London!**

_[Instrumental]_

Trent's lived in Compton Park, London, Ontario, his whole life.

So he knows that 164 Langton Drive is where Cody, his cousin, lives, right next to the grow op. So as he passes by, it's no surprise to see all the lights off, except for the one in Cody's room, which is flickering. Cody's playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 again. He also knows that his aunt and uncle will be probably be getting home soon, and yell at Cody to, "For God's sake, Boy! Get out of your room, and go _outside_!"

As the sky opens up and a faint stream of mist comes down, he wonders if he should knock on Cody's door and ask to come in. He shrugs it off. Chloe's going to come home soon, and he has to get home before she does.

He moves on, passing 46 Straughton Hill, Duncan's house. He smiles laughingly at the four cop cars parked on the driveway. Funny, they had four cops under one roof and they still couldn't keep him down. He remembers Duncan grudgingly tell him that at New Years they have a competition to see who has arrested Duncan the most during the year.

As he moves on he can hear screaming coming from 54 Tolyatti Cove. It's not unusual.

He doesn't know who they are. Hell, he's not even sure they know who they are. Why the hell would you stay with someone you can't get along with?

Trent knows the answer. He sees the tricycle left, wheels still spinning, out on the lawn. He sees the toys littered on the driveway.

They're staying together for the kid.

_Poor bastard._

He passes by Mickles Park as it starts to rain. He cuts past the bleachers, making sure not to get too close. Last year a kid got poked with an old needle and got AIDS.

What a perfectly good way for someone else to fuck up your life.

**There's a hole in the world  
like a great black pit and it's**  
**filled with people**  
**who are filled with shit**  
**and the vermin of the world inhabit it!**

He's on the home stretch when it starts to pour.

He picks up the pace, narrowly avoiding the Corvette. Stupid sports car drivers and their stupid need to go fast. Stupid parents for deciding to live near a golf and country club. Stupid... life. Yeah, let's go with that.

He's still complaining in his head when he smacks in to something... light. He thinks it might be a pole (not the first time) but a pole wouldn't give way, only bend. A pole wouldn't ask him if he's okay.

"Oh, I'm sorry." The (non)pole groans. "Didn't look where I was going."

He gets up slowly, rubbing his head. "No, it's my fault. I didn't... oh, God." He pinches his nose as the blood begins to pour and he thinks, _'Why now?'_

"Oh my god. You're... bleeding." She (he thinks its a she, he's a little preoccupied) says, blankly. "Are you-"

"I'm fine." Trent says, "No big deal."

She sighs, somewhat impatiently. "Let me have a look. I used to be... well, I took First Aid."

"Okay." He says, taking his hand off his nose as the blood spurts.

She gags. "Um, I'll just..." he can hear her rooting around in her purse, "get you some Kleenex. You've got blood all over, you'll have to close your eyes."

"Why?" He can hear himself ask.

"Can't you feel that?" She asks in disbelief. "It's all over your face."

He frowns as he starts to feel something trickling off his forehead. "How did-"

"You, uh, wiped your face with your hand and it smeared." He can hear her say. "Look, I'll just... clean that for you." He feels something flit across his face.

"Oh." She says, "Uh, er, hi. Trent."

He opens his eyes. "Uh, Courtney... haven't seen you in a while." (Even though she's in everyone of his fucking classes.) He vaguely notices she's wearing a cheer uniform. Right. Didn't Heather say something about that?

"No." She says. "I guess I haven't. Your voice is... deeper."

He nods and swallows. "Um, yeah. Puberty."

She nods back. "So... why, might I ask, are you doing jogging in the middle of a deluge?"

"A what?" He asks, tipping his head back to stop the blood.

She scoffs. "A heavy, constant, flow of precipitation. No, don't tilt your head! You could choke like that!"

He reverts back to to pinching his nose. "So, uh, sorry for getting you soaked." He pauses. "And for getting blood on your uniform."

"Uh, detergent can get that out." She says. "Besides, this is my house anyways, I can just go in."

He knows it's her house. 28 Wilcox Drive. Go six houses down and cross the street and you reach his house. "Yeah, thanks. I better get going, Chloe's getting home soon."

"You'll get drenched." She says, bending over to pick something up.

He frowns. "An umbrella?" (A yellow, slightly bent -whoops-, umbrella.) "I'm already soaking wet."

"I know." She says, frowning. "Just take it, okay?"

He grabs the umbrella. "Thanks and... bye."

"Bye." She says, rushing up the steps to her house.

He stares at the umbrella and chuckles. What's he supposed to do with it? He can't _run_ holding the umbrella. Chuckling again, he simply holds the umbrella as he jogs home. He wrenches open the door, and rushes up to his room, sinking onto his bed and throwing the umbrella into the closet.

He can see the yellow out of the corner of his eye. "What do you want?" He asks. Great, now he's talking to inanimate objects.

To his relief, it doesn't talk back. He groans and lies down on his bed.

Jogging isn't helping.

It forces him to spend too much time in his own head.

____

_There's No Place Like London!_

* * *

So there you have it the, awkward, (on both Trent's, Courtney's and mine's) introduction of Courtney.

Sorry if this feels like a filler chapter because, well, it sort of is. I wanted to introduce you a little more to Trent's reality, and give you a greater sense of how he ticks.

-Pursuit


	3. Stuck In The Middle With You

Hey guys! Had fun writin' this chapter. (Pulling through on the Texas Twang.) Anyhow, I hope you enjoy.

P.S.: No Peanut Butter and Angst in this chapter. Just good ol' jelly.

Disclaimer: I do not own the TDI franchise, nor any recognizable characters. Some will be totally random OCs. That I own. Deal with it.

* * *

Trent slid into his seat. Well ahead of everyone, he got out his tattered copy of _Romeo & Juliet,_ his binder, and a couple of pens all before the first bell had even rung.

Before you come to any conclusions, you should know a thing about a thing or two. Trent was not a nerd. He was _not _bursting with fan-girlish joy at the thought of reading the work of William Shakespeare. He just had a really strict father, who had no tolerance for lateness, or detention, and was still _extremely _pissed at Trent for getting detention earlier in the month.

It however, was a shock to see someone sliding into the seat beside him so early. Duncan was never early... unless it was for Phys. Ed.

"Hello." The voice clipped beside him. "How are you, Trent?"

"Hey." Trent returned. "Uh, good- I guess. You, Court?"

She nodded. "Fine. I had cheer practice this morning, so I was up way earlier than I wanted to get up." She frowned. "Did you see Seb anywhere? He was gone before I left..."

Trent shrugged. "Sorry... didn't see his bike either."

"I think my brother may be skipping town." Courtney reflected. "Our dad called... he wants to see us."

Trent frowned. "Oh."

"Yes, oh." Courtney sighed. "He hasn't seen us since Seb was twelve and I was ten... when he left they were still calling him Sebastian."

"How does your mom feel about that?" Trent winced, it hadn't been the best of divorces.

Courtney chewed on her pencil nervously. "She doesn't exactly _know_."

"What?" Trent exclaimed. "Courtney!"

Courtney crossed her arms defensively. "It was Seb's idea. My mom was heartbroken after the divorce, this would kill her."

"She's going to find out." Trent said, shaking his head. "She's all but chipped you with a tracking device."

"Chips?" The voice behind him asked. "Poker chips?"

Trent sighed. "No, Duncan... not poker chips."

"Damn." Duncan sighed. "Hey, you! You're in my spot!"

Courtney frowned. "So kindly find somewhere else to sit. I would also like to remind you that gambling on school property is not permitted."

Duncan slid into the seat on Trent's other side. "So is smoking." Duncan said, holding out his package of cigarettes. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Nothing." Courtney said, primly. "Just wait for you to get caught, upon which you will be apprehended and sent to facilities that can handle your delinquent behaviour."

Trent cleared his throat. "So... Courtney, this Duncan."

"Charmed." She said, rolling her eyes.

Duncan sneered. "Likewise."

"So..." Trent began, "how is Seb doing, Court?"

Duncan snorted. "Seb is your _brother_? The guy that rides a Harley to school? Smokes two packs a day? What is he, the rotten apple on your perfect family tree?"

"Seb," Courtney glared, digging in her backpack, "_is _my brother. And yes, he rides a Harley, but only with the proper headgear. He _does_ smoke, but never on school grounds, and he is trying to quit. He is _not_ the rotten apple on my family tree. He has more morals, character and judgement than you will ever have, and quite frankly, is a _far_ better person!"

Duncan glared. "Whoa, Princess. What'd I ever do to you?"

Courtney held his glare. "Two words. Bridgette Andersen."

_Oh shit,_ Trent thought, _this can't be good._

"Excuse me?" Duncan said. "Who the fuck is she?"

"Bridgette," Courtney seethed, "is my best friend. She is also one of the many girls you, you, _banged _and cast away! So yes, I think you are a miserable excuse for a human being, because you _traumatized_ my friend!"

Duncan's face registered exactly what Trent was thinking, _Oh shit._

"Class," the teacher droned, smiling, "get out your copies of _Romeo and Juliet_ please."

Courtney whipped her head to the front, glaring the teacher down. Duncan turned to Trent and mouthed, _"Sorry."_

Trent frowned. _"Sorry? Why are you sorry?"_

Duncan shrugged. _"Cause I broke her. Cause I broke all those girls."_

* * *

Trent walked into science class dazed, confused, and partially deaf in his right ear. "Hey Izzy!"

Izzy frowned, cocking her head. "Why are you yelling?"

"I am?!" Trent asked. "I mean, I am?"

Izzy nodded, smiling toothily. "You teenagers and your loud music on the blasted iTunes!"

"Actually," Trent said, sitting down and wincing, "I was in the middle of a shouting match between Duncan and Courtney."

Izzy smirked. "Well, that's good for you, huh?"

Trent stared at her. "What?"

"Your bet," Izzy drew out, slowly, "if Courtney hates Duncan's guts, isn't it a little easier for you?"

Trent nodded. "Well yeah. I don't know though... I mean, the whole point of the bet was to keep Duncan away from Courtney so he couldn't hurt her, you know? But what if Duncan's not so bad after all?"

Izzy blinked repeatedly. "What?"

"Well," Trent started, "he seemed sorry-"

"Oh hell no," Izzy said, "don't have a teen movie moment where we are lead to believe the bad guy may actually be good, so we trust him, and then the next thing we know is that he has our sweetheart locked in a warehouse, then lies to you and blows her up, burns down a hospital and stages a bank heist!"

Trent blinked, once, then twice. "Are you comparing Duncan to the _Joker_?"

"Hey," Izzy scoffed, "it's happened to better people. Namely my Uncle Josephat... hasn't been the same since he blew up that donut factory in Michigan."

"Uhn, okay..." Trent said.

Izzy frowned. "So, for curiosity's and a cat's sake, what _is_ the bet again?"

"Duncan has to go on six dates with Courtney, during which he has to remain abstinent... at least with Courtney." Trent explained.

"Oh," Izzy said, "and you have to nail her then, eh?"

Trent sputtered. "Excuse me?"

"You know," Izzy said, "bang her, do her, engage in coitus, wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, put a ring on it... _have sex_?"

"No!" Trent exclaimed, causing a few people to stare.

Izzy shrugged. "I thought this was some weird personality reversal thing." She smiled toothily. "Why? You a virgin, Trent? Queen of the Chastity Ball?"

"What does this have to do with anything?" Trent sputtered.

"Oh, it has somethin' to do with everythin'." Izzy purred. "Me, I lost that a long time ago and never looked back."

Trent gaped. "Really? Who'd be crazy enough to do you?"

"Oh, you'll that people are very, _very_, willing." Izzy said, wistfully. "But this isn't about me. So, Trent, what are you? Jock-of-all-trades or sweet, saintly, virgin?"

Trent sighed. "I'm a virgin." He shamefully whispered. "Are you happy _now_?"

Izzy smiled back a Cheshire Cat smile. "Funny story. So am I." Smirking at Trent's face, she added, "What a crazy random happen-stance."

"You," Trent glared, "you... you _Breakfast Club_-bed me!"

Izzy smirked and mimed shooting his with her index finger. "Right over the head."

* * *

_"Will Trent Pierce please report to the Guidance Area? I repeat, Trent Pierce to the Guidance Area, that is all."_

Trent sighed and switched his course from Phys. Ed. to a one way ticket to hell.

"Hello Trent." The secretary greeted him. "We've been expecting you." Like Trent said, _hell_.

Trent sat down, fiddling with his backpack's zipper. "Trent, dude!" The Guidance Counsellor called. "I'm ready to see you, man."

Trent nodded, picking up his backpack and followed the GC to his office and closed the door. "Hi, Mr. M-"

"Dude," He interrupted, flashing him a smile, "it's Chris."

"Hi, Chris." Trent amended sitting down in the chair.

Chris looked him over. "So I guess you know why you're here, right?"

Trent nodded. "Yep."

"And you're still not ready to talk about it." Chris finished for him.

"Yep." Trent said again.

Chris sighed. "Look, dude, you have to talk about it sometime." Trent frowned at him. "Well, at least help with this then." Chris said, gesturing.

"_Mousetrap_?" Trent asked. "Aren't you a little too old to be playing with toys?"

"I know." Chris said, grabbing a blue piece. "I just like catching the mouse. One day it's just minding its business thinking, "I'm gonna get me some cheese", and then the next thing it knows is _Whatcha! _Trapped faster than my Aunt's Marmelines' ferret at Easter!"

Trent smiled, shaking his head. "Whatever you say, Chris." He grabbed a red piece.

"But, um, don't go trapping any mice for fun okay?" Chris said, eyeing the plastic mice. "Last kid I played _Mousetrap _with started killing them for fun. And while I _technically _cured the kid of his bullying other students, his parents were still pretty upset."

Trent quirked an eyebrow, hands freezing over a yellow piece. "How'd you ever qualify to be a GC?"

"I read a lot of self-help books." Chris said, stroking his goattee. "Speaking of which, I found the perfect book for you!"

Trent took the book in his hand. "Uh, Chris?"

"Yes?" Chris replied, smugly.

Trent smirked. "Somehow, I don't think _What to Expect When You're Expecting: Teen Edition _is going to help me much."

"Son of an American banana cream waffle!" Chris exclaimed. "I gave Angie the wrong book!"

Trent gaped. "Angie Marchenkos is pregnant?"

Chris paled. "Uh, these are not the droids you're looking for." He said, waving his hand.

"Seriously?" Trent asked. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

Chris nodded in gratitude. "Thanks, man... 'cause I'm supposed to go by this Patient-Counsellor confidentiality rule... thing."

"So..." Trent said, snapping the yellow piece into place, "Is our session done?"

"Almost." Chris said. "But dude, you gotta stop bottling this up. Do you know what happens to kids who keep stuff hidden?"

Trent snapped a green piece in. "They spontaneously combusted?"

"Ha. Ha." Chris said. "Witty. _No_, they start to hate themselves. Do you want to hate yourself, Trent?"

"What if I already do?" Trent asked, crossing his arms.

Chris sighed. "Well, you shouldn't. It wasn't your fault. We know now that-"

"I don't care what you know now." Trent said. "Doesn't change anything."

Chris tapped his fingers on his desk. "Trent my man, we have eight sessions left. I've been told, dude, that if we don't start making some progress, they're going to start sending you to a specialist."

Trent frowned, picking up his backpack as he made his way out the door. "Great. Oh, and Chris?"

"Yeah?" He asked, propping his head up with his hand.

"It's all set up." Trent said, smiling, as heard a gleeful _"Mousetrap!" _come from the other side of the now closed door.

The secretary smiled toothily at him. "How did it go?"

"Still eight more sessions." Trent said, watching the secretary pull up the student database and schedule the appointment.

The secreatary handed him is late pass. "Have a nice day, dear."

Trent rolled his eyes. Nice day his ass.

* * *

Hey! Had a lotof fun writing this chapter! (I think it was because of the Izzy and Chris dialogue, lol.)

~What is Trent in therapy for? Is Duncan really a nice guy, or is he -like Izzy suspects- pulling a Joker on Trent's ass? Will we ever meet Courtney's "rotten apple" brother Seb? Why do I insist on giving random Aunts and Uncles made-up names? The answer to this and many more unanswered questions coming... eventually.

_Note: This Shout-out to Kill4Karamel has been brought to you by Chef's Canned Beans, now with 48% more road-kill!_

-Pursuit


	4. Geek In The Pink

Geek In The Pink//

Hey guys! You can not believe how happy I am to have found my muse for this story again. Now if only I could re-capture my 'The Death Games' muse...

**_Disclaimer:_** Ha. I laugh in your face. Politely.

* * *

"Hello class!" The student teacher buzzed.

The class stared back. "Hello."

"Okay!" Ms. K chirped. "Who thinks they can tell me what has happened in Romeo and Juliet?"

The class remained silent. "Okay, have we all got a case of the Mondays this morning?" Ms. K asked.

Duncan groaned beside Trent. "If only Ms. K had a case of the Mondays." Trent shrugged, he didn't mind Ms. K much. Besides, she was a whole lot better than the hell-bitch that was their regular teacher.

"Duncan!" Ms. K chirped. "What is going on in Romeo and Juliet?"

Duncan shuffled in his seat. "Uh, Romeo and Juliet fell in love, Romeo fought the Casanova dude, they were forbidden by their parents to love, and they killed themselves for nothing."

"Good, good." Ms. K nodded. "Just a couple of things. Romeo didn't fight, Mercutio did, and then Romeo slayed... who, class?"

"Tybalt." They answered mechanically.

Ms. K smiled, buzzing like the Energizer Bunny. "Great! Yes, the Montagues and Capulet's didn't want them to marry. However, it might be possible to attest they didn't kill themselves for nothing."

"Yes," Courtney said, from her front-row seat, "it could be possible to say they did it for love."

"No," Duncan scoffed, "I'm _pretty_ sure they did it because they were young and stupid."

Courtney scoffed, turning in her seat to face him. "Are you insinuating that all young people are stupid?"

"All I'm saying is that love is stupid." He said, holding up his hands. "Love is probably more devastating than any drug I can think of."

"Or are taking?" Courtney said, innocently.

Ms. Kay, adjusted her glasses. "Uh, guys?"

"What's it to you?" Duncan said, largely ignoring Ms. K's protests.

Courtney laughed. "Nothing. However, when I become largely successful, I believe you will provide for a lovely anecdote on which I discuss failure."

"Oh, Princess." Duncan said, clutching his chest. "You wound me so."

Courtney glared. "O relax, thou Neanderthal. How cans't I wound a heart that twas never there?"

"Guys?" Ms. K pleaded, biting her lip.

Geoff spoke up from the back of the room. "Maybe they're both right."

"What?" Duncan and Courtney exclaimed, in unison.

Geoff shrunk down in his seat. "Well, love kinda is a stupid thing-" Duncan shot Courtney a look of triumph "-but at the same time it's a necessity, right? We all need to be loved." Courtney smirked.

"Thank you, Geoff!" Ms. K exclaimed. "For that wonderful insight. Now moving on-"

"Just a second." Gwen spoke up. "How can love be stupid and necessary at the same time?"

Geoff shrugged. "It's like this, right? Love makes people do stupid things, like move to England for no reason or commit suicide -depends on how you coast- but at the same time we need someone to love. Like, we need people to care for us and we need to return that care. Pay it forward, man."

"Oh." Gwen said. "That kind of makes sense."

"I know, right?" Geoff said. "And it just came out of my mouth! It's like my mouth knows all."

Duncan shrunk in his seat. "Princess think she won this round, huh?"

Trent sighed. "C'mon dude, it's nice knowing that I'm going to win, but can I at least do it without starting a nuclear war?"

"Too late." Duncan said, sing-songedly.

"Class!" Ms. K shouted, causing everyone to be quiet. "Thank-you. Now, since we've finished, I'd like for us to share our knowledge of the play with others."

Duncan looked at her warily. "How?"

"We," Ms. K said, smiling, "are going to be putting on a adaptation of Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_, as performed as a play."

Courtney blinked repeatedly. "A what?"

"Yeah, a what now?" Duncan said, gaping.

Ms. K smiled, though Trent thought it was more like a smirk. "Everyone must try out for a part. Auditions are mandatory, and those who "fake" bad acting will given large speaking roles."

"Why?" Geoff asked, disbelievingly.

"Because this play," Ms. K. continued, "and the production of it, is worth 20% of your grade, and serves as your first English exam."

* * *

"What's wrong, dude?" Cody asked, pulling up a chair across from Trent.

Trent groaned, leaning his head against the table, "Everything!"

"C'mon, Trent," Cody said, "elaborate. Remember, cousins tell cousins stuff."

Trent sighed, and moved his head on the desk show his face was showing. "Duncan and Courtney won't shut up _ever! _And seriously, they fought over_ Romeo and Juliet _for god's sake! Then we found out that we have to put on a production of the stupid play that becomes our first exam, and Izzy set my lab coat on fire!"

"Oh." Cody winced. "Rough day?"

Trent threw him a 'No Shit' look. "No, I just wallow in my misery for the _fun_ of it."

"Your sarcasm is duly noted." Cody said, crossing his arms. "Hey! You know what would make you feel better?"

"A new life?" Trent guessed.

Cody frowned. "Dude, you're really hormonal today." Trent glared at him. "Okay, I was going to suggest that we hack into the school's database."

Trent shot him a look. "And why would we do that?"

"Because," Cody shrugged, "I personally believe that any idiot that sets the school's password as _4321_ deserves to be hacked."

Trent sat up. "The password is _4321_?"

"Yeah, I know, right?" Cody said, chuckling. "But seriously, man, you can find out a lot of cool stuff."

"Like what?" Trent said, warily.

Cody grinned. "Stuff like the fact that 14% of our school's budget go towards coffee for the teacher's lounge."

"You're serious?" Trent asked, incredulously.

Cody shrugged. "And another 16% goes towards therapy for students. We must have a lot of freaks in this school."

"Uh, yeah." Trent said, frowning.

Cody sighed. "Oh, sorry dude. Totally forgot. But you know you don't really need it, right? It's not your fault-"

"Shut up." Trent warned.

"No, seriously. Totally just a-"

Trent glared. "_Shut up_." He finalized.

"Touchy." Cody said, holding up his hands in surrender. "Now, do you want to hack this or what?"

"Sure." Trent said, allowing Cody to drag him to the back wall of computers.

Cody pulled up the database, clicking sporadically. "Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Uh..." Trent stalled.

Cody rolled his eyes. "Let's start with something _easy_. Fun fact: the two students with highest averages of our year are you and Courtney." Cody said. "Surprise."

"Really?" Trent asked, speechless.

"Yeah," Cody said, shrugging, "chances are that one of you will be our valedictorian when we finally escape this place."

Trent let out another strangled, "Really?"

"It'll probably be Courtney though." Cody said. "She's Vice President, Chair of Student Relations and Cheerleader, after all."

Trent nodded. "Yeah, she'd like that."

"You could be, though." Cody stressed. "All you need is an athletic or-"

"Never again." Trent said.

Cody sighed, "Fine. Anything else you want to know?"

"Sure." Trent said, pointing at the screen. "Who has the highest mark?"

"Well," Cody began, "one kid has 100% in English."

Trent's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah," Cody said, "If I could just pull up the name- there!" Cody blanked.

"What?" Trent asked, looking the screen, gasping.

_English: Duncan Walker... 100%_

* * *

"Trent!" Courtney called, running up to Trent in the hallway. "You still haven't seen-"

Trent shook his head. "Seb's been missing for a couple of days, Court."

"This is just like him!" Courtney fumed. "Running off and leaving me to cover for him!"

"I'm sure there's a problem." Trent said. "Seb wouldn't just not come back, would he?"

Courtney sighed. "No."

"He's probably just sorting things out." Trent shrugged. "This dad thing can't be helping much."

"And when am I supposed to sort things out?" Courtney asked, crossing her arms.

Trent sighed. "Therapy? Our school _does_ spend 16% of their budget on student counselling."

"How do you know that?" Courtney asked, glaring.

Trent shrugged. "It's not a big deal, Court. Mr. M- Chris told me."

"Oh." She said, deflating. "Hey, look it's Angie! I have to ask her something."

Trent was unprepared for the sudden dragging he was subjected to. "Hey!"

"Angie!" Courtney exclaimed. "Why haven't you been at practice?"

Angie sighed, shoving books into her locker. "Quit."

"Why?" Courtney asked, not noticing Trent's subtle hints for her to shut up. "You're the best we have!"

Angie paused. "It wouldn't be good for the baby."

"What baby?" Courtney inquired, and Trent sighed. She could be so oblivious- "Oh, Angie!"

"Yep." Angie sniffled, smiling fakely. "I'm preggers!"

Courtney gasped. "But, how, when... Actually never mind. _Who_?"

"I've got it narrowed down to two guys." Angie said, sighing.

Trent frowned. "Two guys?"

"I'm not a whore Trent." She said, glaring. "Those are the only two guys I've ever slept with, and possibly two of the biggest mistakes I've ever made."

"Not that." Trent mumbled. "I was wondering who they were."

Angie smiled sheepishly. "Oh. It's between Duncan" Courtney let out a strangled sound, and Trent shook his head- "or a guy named 'Seb'. You know him?"

Courtney fainted.

* * *

What is that? Like three cliffhangers in one chapter? I think that's a personal record. ;)

-Pursuit


	5. Rewind

Hey y'all! 'Kay, if you watch America's Next Top Model, you're either crying with me or cheering right now.

So yeah, the drama kinda got heavy last chapter, hey? Well... it only gets better from here.

* * *

"Duncan!" Trent cried out across the hallway. "_Duncan_!"

Duncan turned back, a look of confusion on his face. "Hey man... aren't you supposed to be in class already? I mean, English is just about to start-"

"Don't you ever listen?" Trent seethed, Courtney wavering behind him. "Four years of health class, huh? That just fly right out of your brain?"

"What are you talking about?" Duncan asked, completely confused now.

Trent glared. "I'm talking about all those years of-"

"Don't." Courtney said, grabbing Trent's arm. "Just... don't yell, Trent. We need... to be calm about this."

Duncan smirked, crossing his arms. "This must be serious... Princess isn't about to rip my head off."

"Just shut up!" Courtney yelled, aggravated. "Shut up for once, Duncan! And Trent, don't even say what I think you're going to say!" Courtney frowned, looking at the students gathered. "And the rest of you, off to class! This has nothing to do with you!"

Duncan raised an eyebrow as the students fearfully ran off. "Okay, I'll bite what's up? Knock her up, Trent?"

"Gross." Courtney shuddered, and Trent shot her a look.

"No," Trent said, slowly, "but interesting that you chose those words Duncan."

Duncan frowned, cringing when the bell rang. "So what gives? You knock Heather up? Did that whore like it?"

"Listen." Courtney whispered, staring. "What do you think this is, a joke?"

"Ohmigod," Duncan gasped, "you really did knock her up."

Trent frowned. "No I didn't."

"Yes, you did!" Duncan cried, indignantly.

"No, I didn't."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Uh, yeah you did."

"I didn't!" Trent yelled. "But you sure fucking did!"

Duncan glanced shiftily at Trent. "Uh, dude, I know I failed sex ed in Grade Six and all, but I'm pretty sure you have to actually have sex with a chick to knock her up."

"Gross." Courtney shivered again.

Duncan winked. "Don't knock it until you try it, and then beg to try it again."

Trent rolled his eyes, throwing his jacket at the shivering Courtney. "T-thanks." She chattered, zipping it up.

"No, Duncan." Trent sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Not Courtney, Angie."

"Angie's pregnant?" Duncan whispered, face falling.

Trent nodded grimly. "Yeah, we just found-" A bang clattered near Trent, and he watched as Duncan punched a locker again and again.

"This isn't fucking fair!" Duncan screamed. "I was going to get out of this hell-hole! I was going to go places!"

Courtney snorted. "L-like where? J-jail?"

Duncan wheeled on her, staring crazily. "Do you know that I have a 100% in English? Did you, Princess? I know I'm scum, but I'm _smart_ scum. Yeah, so maybe you and your preppy-"he kicked the lockers "-friends think I'm shit, and maybe you're right. But at the end of the day, there's still a _hell _of a lot of stuff you don't know about me."

"So tell me." Courtney said, boldly.

Duncan chuckled sadly. "You don't want to know. You couldn't handle it."

"I could." She hissed, angrily.

"Always a sucker for a good sob story, you chicks are." Duncan said, shaking his head. "No, just _no_. Don't try to know me- you'll never know me. I'll be that stupid teenage father in one of your silly anecdotes."

Trent sighed. "Duncan, it might not be yours."

"What?" Duncan asked, softly, as if not hearing right.

Trent smiled ruefully. "There's a fifty percent chance-"

"-it's my brother's." Courtney finished.

Duncan laughed, and laughed, and he laughed so hard he started to cry.

Or maybe he was crying so hard he started to laugh.

* * *

"That is some fucked up Bananarama stuff going on there." Izzy said, straight-faced.

Trent quirked an eyebrow. "Bananarama?"

"You know... it's an ice cream sundae with a whole banana, marshmallows, and fudge. Seriously, you pathetic excuse for a teenager, they sell them at Point Place ice cream." Izzy shook her head.

Trent sighed. "Your word choice astounds me."

"I try." She said, smiling. "What's happening? You're becoming Meredith... no one likes a Meredith!"

"Meredith?"

Izzy sighed impatiently. "_Grey's Anatomy_ reference, ya idiot. It's one of the most defining shows of the decade, and you haven't watched it once?"

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Trent asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Well," Izzy started, "first we mix the calcium with the-"

Trent sighed. "With Duncan."

"You do that a lot." Izzy said, turning her head. "Sigh, I mean. You're gonna get wrinkles! And no one likes wrinkles, unless they're on pugs. Or they're bringing the 90's grunge scene back, whatevs."

Trent shot her a look. "This is serious."

"Life is serious." Izzy said, sagely, and Trent groaned. "We have such little time, but are expected to do so many great things. The greatest thing you will ever do in your life, Trent, is _live_. Life is one great movie with an end that resolves in a death scene- unless you're like my aunt and think that a mystical parrot can make you immortal- and how are you going to lead up to that?"

Trent frowned. "You know, life sucks."

"That's life." Izzy said, eyes flashing.

"What's life?" Trent groaned.

Izzy smiled. "When I was littler, my mom told me this joke, 'That's life.'

'What's life?'

'A magazine.'

'How much?'

'15 cents.'

'15 cents? I only have ten!'

'That's life.

'What's life?'

'A magazine.'

'How much?'

'25 cents.'

'25 cents? You just told me it was 15!'

'That's life.' And much like Life its self," Izzy continued, "the joke just goes on and on and on, until someone gets too tired to tell it."

Trent smiled, and started to chuckle. "That's a horrible joke."

"Oh, I don't think of it so much as a joke," Izzy said, "as words to live by."

"Really?" Trent asked. "How so?"

Izzy shrugged. "But back to the movie thing... even if the movie drags in parts, and 'Oh my god, the female lead is not right for him!', and the soundtrack _sucks_ in the end it's a pretty great movie... until it ends."

"So life is a movie?"

"Correctamundo."

Trent frowned. "We've been talking about my life movie... what about yours?"

"I'd say it's on hold right now." She said. "Well, not on hold, on hold, but this is kind of the draggy part in my movie, yeah."

Trent cocked his head. "That's not really fair, is it?"

"Well, while you're having an exciting time right now, for all we know mine could pick up in a couple of years." She said, shrugging.

He smiled. "I see you looking at Noah sometimes."

"So?" She asked, blushing up to her hairline.

"So," he said, "maybe you need to focus on your own movie."

She shook her head. "Nah, I think I'll sit back and watch yours for awhile."

"Why?" Trent asked.

"Because from where I'm sitting," Izzy said, "the popcorn's tasting pretty damn good."

* * *

"I knew!" Chris exclaimed. "I knew you weren't the only kid with problems! I try to tell the secretaries that but, 'Oh no, all of our students are perfect members of society!' Who actually believes that?"

Trent shrugged, "The delusional, especially the one under the influence of narcotics."

Chris wiped away an imaginary tear. "I've taught you so well."

"No, seriously." Trent said. "I'm the one with problems? Every time I'm in here you're making something. Last week, Mousetrap. Before that, origami crane chain. This week, a Jenga tower."

Chris shrugged, placing a piece carefully. "I'm a hands-on person. I need to be planning something."

"You're weird, that's what you are." Trent laughed.

Chris rolled his eyes. "Feeling brave are we? Making our own diagnosis?"

"It's not a diagnosis." Trent said, laying on a Jenga piece. "Anyone can see that you're weird."

Chris frowned. "Oh ha ha ha, let's all laugh at the duck. Anyways, do we feel like we're making progress?"

"Well," Trent said, "I got up this morning and thought, 'Boy oh boy! I'd love to talk about my issues today!', but sometime after breakfast I changed my mind."

"Clever." Chris said. "Deflect all your feelings out as sarcasm. You know, I bet you're the only person in the world who uses sarcasm to mask his issues."

Trent picked up a piece. "Sarcasm?"

"Of course." Chris said, rearranging pieces. "It's natural to deflect, though, especially when the alternative is letting someone get close. It's hard."

Trent twirled the piece in his hands. "What do you think about movies?"

"I rather enjoy them." Chris said, eyes grazing over the ten-foot tower. "And if that is your version of asking me out, I warn you I am not a cheap date."

"Ha ha." Trent said. "No, just... no."

Chris shrugged. "Why? What about movies?"

"Izzy was talking about them today." Trent said. "About how life was kind of like a movie."

Chris whistled. "Who is this girl and when can I hire her to do my job? Looks like she's got the first hundred pages of the textbook covered."

"And what's on the first hundred pages?" Trent asked.

"Mostly it explains how to give 'sage advice', then tells you to pray you won't have to explain it." Chris said. "Oh, and a couple of tree stories are thrown in there. Psychologists are suckers for a good tree metaphor."

Trent smirked. "Really now?"

"Well," Chris said, "trees do convey a lot of things. Tenacity, in their drive to grow. Resiliency, in their refusal to break. That's why they pop up in a lot of school stuff."

"So tell a good story about a willow tree and you can give a speech?" Trent said.

Chris nodded. "That's all it takes."

It was silent for a moment. "I'm a like a tree." Trent realized, suddenly. "I shelter others from the storm... I'm getting better- growing stronger, and I haven't broken yet."

Chris smiled. "Trees are funny like that."

Trent turned his head to look at Chris, and got a full glance of their tower. The whole time, the had been constructing not a building, but a tall maple.

He had planned this all along. "You know, Trent? I think we really made some progress today."

* * *

So yeah.

**Just wanted to let you know, there's a poll up on my profile about who Courtney should end up with (I'm not picky), so if you can- vote for that. It'll be up for the next five chapters.**

-Pursuit


End file.
